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Navy NEC · Combat & Infantry

837A Naval Special Warfare (Combat Support)

Current service use not established

This code is listed in the directory. Inclusion alone does not confirm current service use.

A Navy Enlisted Classification: a skill designation sailors hold in addition to their rating.

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Overview

Naval Special Warfare combat support personnel provide explosive ordnance disposal, identification, collection, planning, targeting, analysis, and fusion support. They integrate into and primarily operate within SEAL combat elements, providing maritime insertion and extraction capabilities and medical care for the Ground Force Commander.

Minimum clearance: Secret

Core Skills

  • Explosive ordnance disposal in combat support
  • Targeting information analysis and fusion
  • Maritime insertion and extraction support
  • Medical care within SEAL combat elements

Civilian Career Paths

Career associations are editorial assessments of the cited evidence, not an official crosswalk unless the evidence explicitly says so. O*NET supplies civilian occupation information, not proof of a military match. Related experience does not confer civilian qualifications. Tasks and tools below describe civilian work, not military training.

Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters

The specialty's explosive ordnance disposal duties overlap directly with the ordnance-handling portion of this civilian occupation.

How to prepare: Ask a prospective employer to assess your existing qualifications and documented EOD experience against the intended work and applicable state and local explosives rules before choosing additional training. For construction blasting, OSHA requires demonstrated safe, method-specific competence, relevant explosives training, knowledge or experience, and working knowledge of applicable explosives laws.

What the civilian work involves
  • Place safety cones around blast areas to alert other workers of danger zones, and signal workers as necessary to ensure that they clear blast sites prior to explosions.

Notes & Sources

  • New York provides one jurisdiction-specific example: blaster certification requires three years of training and experience under a certified blaster's direct supervision before the written examination. Its separate explosives licensing process includes a criminal background check and mental health screening.
  • Federal explosives business licenses and acquisition permits are distinct from individual employment. License or permit holders must report newly authorized employee possessors to ATF, which conducts a background check when appropriate.
Evidence for this guidance (5 documents)
  1. NAVPERS 18068F Vol II (NEOCS, Jul 2026 edition): NEC 837A

    [1] NEC entry "837A - Naval Special Warfare (Combat Support)"; cached text line 21895; NAVPERS 18068F Vol II, 2026-07 edition

    Supports: Explosive ordnance disposal in combat support, Targeting information analysis and fusion, Maritime insertion and extraction support, Medical care within SEAL combat elements, Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters (O*NET 47-5032.00)

  2. O*NET: Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters

    [2] O*NET 30.3 occupational data

    Supports: Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters (O*NET 47-5032.00)

  3. OSHA 29 CFR 1926.901: Blaster qualifications

    [3] Construction blasting, paragraphs (a)-(e). Verified 2026-09-24.

    Supports: Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters (O*NET 47-5032.00)

  4. New York Department of Labor: Blasters Certificate of Competence

    [4] Blasters Certificate of Competence; Explosives Licenses. New York example only, not universal national requirements. Verified 2026-09-24.

    Supports: Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters (O*NET 47-5032.00)

  5. ATF explosives licensing and employee-possessor reporting requirements

    [5] 27 CFR 555.41(b)(1)(i)-(iii) and 555.57(b)-(c), official 2026-09-21 XML snapshots retained. Individual employment and the employer business license are distinct.

    Supports: Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters (O*NET 47-5032.00)

Defense contractor jobs for 837A

Descriptions may be summarized for clarity. Verify all information with your branch career counselor or official military documentation before making career decisions.

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